Hritz Family

Bribery woes

2012-01-11T08:38:00.000-08:00

One of our Christmas gifts this year was the Pass of All Passes. What a hit - the kids ask to go everyday to Trafalga and that in and of itself has paid for the price of the tickets (which we got at a SCREAMING deal online) and Seven Peaks isn't even open yet. The girls can zip up that rock wall like they are walking upstairs and Matthew absolutely loves roaming the laser tag arena and talking up a storm while he tries to ~~carry~~ drag the super heavy laser gun. He asks for the Frog Hopper ride incessantly. This pass has become a nice leveraging tool for not only the girls, but Matthew as well. Except when it backfires on me.

Sunday afternoon launched the wonderful time of potty training Matthew. We hit it HARD Monday and then Tuesday we hit a road block since he has preschool. I wrote a note to the teacher and bribed Matthew with his very own trip to Trafalga if he would be a good boy on the bus, at school, and go potty. For a three year old, that's a tall order. However, I received a note back from his teacher stating he was a happy boy all morning and even used the bathroom. Give it up for Matthew!! Of course, I had to deliver on my bribe or I'd suffer the loss of any credibility I have with him.

We drove down the street to Trafalga at 12:48 (it opens at 10) and found the gate closed and the doors locked!! What??!!! There were several other cars, full of disappointed children, that pulled out of the parking lot with drivers gripping their steering wheels a little tighter than when they had pulled in. Matthew was so upset. I drove up the street and pulled into a fast food place for him to play only to discover I had not brought my wallet. You think I'm joking right? No. I had the Pass in my pocket for the trip, what else did I need? I knew if I pulled out of that restaurant parking lot without giving him the chance to play, all bets were off and I would have no leg to stand on when I asked him to go potty or be a big boy. Luckily, it worked out. He played on the slide, jumped up and down, and had a good time, even without a treat. I fumed the whole time. He did go potty while we were there though, which perked up my mood significantly.

We finished the day out without further drama (okay, I have three kids....with less drama than earlier) and he was accident free all day. This morning he woke up, I removed his Pull-Up, and was ready to tackle the 15 minute interval questions of going potty. Yet, I soon discovered I didn't need to. He went potty this morning 3 - 4 times without me asking him to go. As I was blow drying my hair he ran in, pulled down his adorable Toy Story undies, went potty, clapped, and then rolled himself up in the bath mats to nap.

I love this little boy. I love the challenges he brings to my life, making the sweet moments like this seem like I have captured a shooting star.

Holidays are over?

2012-01-04T15:48:00.000-08:00

This post comes with mixed feelings. We enjoyed our holiday break around here, a little too much. There wasn't a night I went to bed before midnight during the entire break. We set a record one morning of sleeping in until 10, which is unheard of for this household. Terry had 10 days off and we enjoyed every minute. We did accomplish a few honey-do's, but other than those items, we relaxed, we ate, we played. At the end of the break though, we were all ready for our routines back. I love that feeling, when you've 'rested' enough to know you are ready to get back to the grind.

Our traditional Christmas Eve PJ picture - Matthew is secure enough with his masculinity to ~~endure~~ enjoy a few more years of matching PJ's with the girls I think! Aside from the scarf, this outfit really is unisex.

Christmas morning tornado. After last year's bed extravaganza, we took a year off from large items!

We were lucky enough to be around some of my siblings for the New Year. Dec. 30 was spent at one of my brother's playing traditional card games (let's call that the dry run for New Year's since we stayed up way too late) and then New Year's Eve the same group came to our house for a media night - we hit Just Dance and Wipe Out on the Kinnect and then Sing Star on the Playstation - taking turns with the kids of course. Again, we ate too much, laughed a lot, and enjoyed one another's company. New Years day was spent at church then we all enjoyed a loooong winter's nap. Here's to a wonderful 2012 for one and all!

Our Grand Adventure

2011-12-22T10:44:00.000-08:00

Terry and I were lucky enough to attend the MoTab's Christmas party held at The Grand America Hotel. Delicious. Inspiring. Wonderful. President Monson has the best facial expressions to set a crowd laughing! While we were there, I spotted window displays portraying a story of a little penguin, but with the amount attendees, I didn't have the opportunity to discover their purpose. In the middle of the foyer was this unbelievable gingerbread house, lo and behold the little penguin was asleep inside! As Terry and I left, we snagged a quick photo and I made a mental note to bring the kids back to discover more about little Maurice the penguin.

To start the day off right, we constructed our own gingerbread houses to compare what we would see later.

Before we hopped on the train to the hotel (our kids have become quite accustomed to Trax) we walked over to Temple Square while the crowds were low and were able to see the Christus statue. As we approached this beautiful statue, Allie was in awe with the wall mural and asked if we were "out of earth." After the photo, Matthew tried desperately to scale the statue and give Jesus a hug - he was rather persistent I might add, so we lingered a little longer and allowed Matthew to give him 'air hugs.' Can you imagine the second coming - children will flock to Him and what a sight that will be!

I was so happy we were able to see the statue with our children, we came down to Temple Square last week to see the lights and were smothered with people. We learned our lesson, and now know when the best times to visit are.

We hopped on Trax to the Grand America Hotel. As we rounded the corner, we were greeted by a staff member of the hotel and were given our scavenger hunt cards and pencils (this was a bigger deal than I thought). 18 window displays spread throughout the hotel held a story of a penguin named Maurice who was craving a Grand America Hotel star cookie, so he made his way to the hotel only to find a special star had gone missing. Maurice then started a journey to find the star. As we read each display, we were to answer the clues that matched the display. Only, we did it wrong for about 9 displays (reading the directions has never been Terry and I's strong suite).

Now, The Grand America Hotel staff is quite a clever breed. Maurice the penguin displays, as I mentioned earlier, were strategically placed throughout the venue to ensure maximum exposure for their guests, particularly guiding children to their toy store: JouJou. This store was wicked cool. Their window displays were interactive, reminding me of the extravagant displays seen in New York City. The Ferris wheel was in a constant twirl, robots moved and talked, and picture frames moved as if characters within were live (imagine the newspapers and photos from the world of Harry Potter!).

These windows captivated our attention for some time!

Naturally, we ventured inside the store and beheld some serious eye candy - pun intended. Terry and I really felt we were back in NYC, this store rivaled FAO Swartz, just miniature size! Beneath the candy canisters was a mock 'piano' like in FAO Swartz, as you stepped on it the music began, step off it stopped, you get the idea. You can see at Makenna's feet, the music board lights up as well when you stand on it.

We pulled our kids away from the store of wonders and completed the journey with Maurice the penguin.

Upon completion of the scavenger hunt, children are awarded a sticker of Maurice and then they have one more stop to make: La Bonne Vie, a sweet shop "modeled after the great European confection houses" where they were given one of the star cookies little Maurice craved (remember the reason he came to the hotel in the first place?).

By this time, dinner was needed for the kids and the route placed us conveniently at the Garden Cafe. Clever, no? At any rate, the food was delicious. The girls made a stop to the ladies room and came back completely in awe. Makenna claimed all doors and knobs were real gold and they were both astounded that instead of paper towels, REAL towels (soft, too) were given to dry their hands. The girls both puzzled over the multiple utensils on the table (Matthew's were taken from him, I am pretty sure The GAH frowns on sword fights at the table) and ooed and awed while drinking their juice out of glass.

What an grand experience!

Executive Pastry Chef Jeffrey De Leon took two weeks to build the structure, then over 10 hours to place candy trimmings. Ingredients: 400 lbs of gingerbread, 200 lbs. of royal icing, 5,000 gumballs, 3,000 mints, and much, much more! The floor is one of my favorite features, checkerboard rice krispie treats. I wish I knew how long it took De Leon to make just the windows.

Maurice's Grand Cupola!

If you have the opportunity, seek the adventure at the Grand America Hotel!

A New Christmas Tradition!

2011-12-20T10:41:00.000-08:00

I am so excited we are able to add a new Christmas tradition this holiday. This show was nothing short of amazing. Jane Seymour, the guest narrator, once played a character that inspired the name of our oldest daughter: Elise McKenna in the movie Somewhere in Time. If you haven't seen the film, it is worth watching. Jane Seymour is still as gorgeous today as she was in that film, and her narration of Luke 2 was absolutely beautiful.

We chose not to take Makenna this year (children must be 8 years or older to attend all MoTab concerts and Sunday morning shows as they are recorded for television, so Matthew and Allie are out for a few years) but we will definitely be taking Makenna next year. I cannot wait until we can have all our children in attendance with us to feel the wonderful spirit present at these events. The performance we were at, both President Monson and President Uchtdorf were in attendance and what a blessing to be watching such an inspirational performance with our Prophet and one of his counselors. I feel so blessed to be in the presence of these amazing leaders and such wonderfully talented musicians so frequently. We have the Choir Christmas party this evening and I will once more be surrounded by these amazing individuals. I can think of no better place to feel the spirit of Christmas!

Mak Attack

2011-12-20T10:17:00.000-08:00

I need to give a little shout out to my oldest. She's somewhat flown under the radar lately, not to say she hasn't been busy herself. Here's proof:

She has always been interested in helping in the kitchen, but lately she wants me as far away from her as possible when dabbling with her recipes. I have to say, her smiley face pizzas were quite tasty!

Makenna had her dance recital this last weekend and did great. I was a backstage helper, so one of the videos is from behind the curtain, not the best for sound or viewpoint. Terry had the camera out in the audience during the performance for the other dance, but I had to edit it down due to a big head in the way for a good chunk of the time. Still, you'll see her moves :)

With all our official obligations checked off the list, we can now enjoy the two week holiday!!

Take a DEEP breath

2011-12-15T15:03:00.000-08:00

A break is needed from this computer!!! I have graded 43 finals in the last two days, which is cause enough to get as far away from this computer as possible. But I can't. I'm not finished grading all the finals. 21 more to go, then I have a few discussion posts to grade and I can shut this semester down. I do not like finals week. No joke. Of the 16 weeks I teach, finals week is the only one that almost convinces me to quit. EVERY TIME. I will get through it though and then I'll receive feedback from students (some rather insightful and uplifting), appreciation from the university (BYU-I in particular is very good at this), and my paycheck... :) ....resulting in a pleasant rejuvenation and the ability to enjoy my break before I prepare to do it all again.

I was able to accomplish a great deal of grading today in particular, because of Matthew. Surprising, right? It's because he was gone for three hours! He started his preschool on Tuesday and attended again today. I drove him to school the first day, but today the bus picked him up at our house (convenient as his school and Makenna's start at the same time and they are 10+ minutes away from each other). I have been experiencing some major guilt about Matthew attending preschool. He is three years old for crying out loud! I am his mother and as such, should provide him with any schooling necessary to prepare him for his 'formal education'. Add to that, he is now riding a bus, completely removing me from the school in which he is attending, and I become the worst mother around. That's what Raegan #1 says. Raegan #2 acknowledges that this little guy is in need of added support that I simply cannot provide. I do have a background in education; but no where in my schooling did I take early childhood courses. I have no education in early childhood speech or behavioral management skills for toddlers who are incapable of expressing their needs due to a speech delay. R2 is also a little selfish in that she sees a golden opportunity to accomplish a great many tasks during his twice a week preschool. R1 is ashamed of R2 for that. Bad R2. Bad.

With those thoughts (and countless others, including full conversations between R1 and R2) I sent Matthew off to school on the bus today and received a little relief when the little guy had a perma-grin for getting to ride a bus. He saw it driving down our street and flipped our lock on the front door faster than a burglar and made a b-line for our street. I barely had time to say good-bye as he waved, running away from me. I ran up to the bus and exchanged a few pleasantries with his driver and aid, snagged a photo, and was then verbally booted off the bus by Matthew himself.

The time arrived when I knew the bus should be heading back. This was not a fun time. R1 and R2 created a terrifying illusion about all that could go wrong; one scenario involved an evil bus driver deciding Matthew was so cute she'd take him home. A few panic texts were sent to Terry. Finally (well within the projected return time BTW), his bus drove down our street and a grinning boy emerged, laden with treats and presents from his first pajama party at school. The battle between R1 and R2 will have to rest until another day, regardless how much I try to screw up as a parent and over-analyze things, he seems to be just fine.

December crafts

2011-12-07T12:01:00.001-08:00

I like to dabble in crafts ~~when I should be doing laundry or housework~~ now and then, and this month I am very pleased with the few projects I have completed.

I have had these stocking for years now and I have to remind my kids each year which one is theirs. I had wanted to get them embroidered a long time ago, but could not see past the trees on Matthew's stocking to place his name. Sarah pointed out during her last visit how obvious it was on where his name should go. So that problem was solved, the next came with finding someone to embroider that could get them done NOW (I am not impatient, it's just things should be done when I want them....) Luckily, I found the perfect solution, iron-on embroidered letters. Can you say, GENIUS! I love this idea even more so because it cost around $5 total.

My next project was to complete a memory tree that I have been playing around with. I printed pictures from every Christmas Terry and I have had together, with a few from our individual childhoods. I am going to love putting this tree up every year, looking through all the photos was such a blast! This project of course went through three different phases, and there may be one more, but only if I can score a free tree......Don't judge me Sarah!

This was a project I did last year, creating this nativity out of wood, but it is too cute not to share :)

I am so excited for Christmas this year, we have our house all decked out and a few activities to do that we have never done with our kids before. Enjoy the month and don't waste a minute celebrating the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ - with all the festivities and activities to do, it is easy to forget the reason we celebrate, but don't let that happen!

Matthew turns 3

2011-12-07T11:30:00.001-08:00

This little guy is one bundle of......well he is one complete bundle that is for sure! He has finished the play group program he was in (turning 3 automatically graduates you from the program) and will now be attending a preschool at a local elementary school. The assessments he endured (almost three hours worth BTW) identified him with a speech delay; his receptive language is right where it should be, but his expressive language is only at the 6th percentile. Nothing we didn't already know, but the assessment was required to receive service from the school district as he is now too old for early intervention. I am thankful for programs that will allow him to have an outlet and will give us strategies on how to communicate. He has made progress and we are better able to understand him, though at times it feels for every step forward we take four leaps back.

He loves to play and tell stories, sometimes a little too forcefully. He went on a streak there where he loved Super Why (nice break from Mickey Mouse) and now he seems to be a well rounded boy in terms of selection when he gets his little TV time (mainly when Mom is grading....which sometimes feels like all the time).

He loves having guests at our house and when the doorbell rang with cousins at the door especially for him and his party, he grabbed each one and gave them a tight squeeze, then ran around the house yelling. We were equally excited to celebrate, and maybe we should have ran around with him....

Also in the month of November, I celebrated my kids (more of that gratitude journey) and created art for their playroom. I absolutely loved this project, the kids were ~~bribed~~ excited to pose and the total project cost a whopping $10!

November

2011-12-07T08:20:00.001-08:00

I spent November writing a daily post on Facebook of what I am grateful for. What a blessing it is to reflect on all that is good in my life, I am thankful I took the time to ponder on my blessings - I truly believe it has helped jump start this holiday season for me.

Here are a few things I was thankful for during the month of November:

We celebrated Thanksgiving up at my sister's this year with my entire family. It had been two years since we were all together for the holiday and it was an enjoyable day!

I was lucky enough to attend Time Out for Women with some of amazing gals. We laughed, we cried, we stayed up until 2 or 4 AM, I now can't even remember. I walked away completely filled and very grateful for the opportunity.

I spent the month truly thinking about my children and how blessed I am to have stewardship over these dear souls. I am far from being the mother they deserve but I am forever thankful they allow me to try a little bit more each day. I am thankful that I can look back and see what I have learned when I get weary about how far I have to go still.

November would not be complete without a celebration of Terry's baptism three years ago. This was a truly special celebration as we were able to have dinner with one of the missionaries that taught Terry and truly inspired him. We were lucky enough to be with him and his wife again just this last Sunday for the First Presidency's Christmas Devotional. There were so many people involved in Terry's conversion, but we both hold a special place in our hearts for who we will forever call Elder England.

Of course the month just wouldn't be successful without a craft. This little guy looked so cute on our porch!

October

2011-12-06T18:59:00.000-08:00

We enjoyed fall in Utah this year - the canyons around here are absolutely gorgeous and we didn't want to miss the changing of the leaves. We were not disappointed!

I feel so blessed to enjoy visits from friends from Elko, we have had several come to stay and have loved each visit. My dear Sarah has been over to see me more than I think she visited when we lived in the same town :) I am grateful! We enjoyed Cornbelly's with our kids one fall day and it was an instant hit. They have certainly beefed it up since we went when Allie was a baby.

Next up, Halloween. Wetried something new with our kids this year and went for a Halloween rivercruise on the Provo River. There were over a hundred carved pumpkinslining the shore of the river and lights strung across the banks to see as ourguide, a witty pirate (who Matthew continually called Hook), narrated a fewstories for us.

As tradition would have it, we joined our ward for a night of trunk or treating, though you can only imagine how many cars were involved in this shin-dig here in Utah. We sent our candy to troops overseas we had so much!

I'm back!!!

2011-12-06T18:36:00.000-08:00

I had decided to move off the land of blogger and dedicate all my personal publishing to Facebook, where all my family is connected and accessible. Well, my husband tried to get on our blog the other day and told me to keep going, he likes to read it and see the pictures of the kids in this format. I had gone back and forth about blogging and long story short, I am here.... I feel obligated to back track since I haven't blogged since September, but for the time being I just want to show my adorable Allie and her hips!

**On a side note, we have lived in Utah now for 6 months (more for Terry, but you get it). That's half a year folks! It feels like home, which is strange to say. We have been in our house for three months, but it feels longer! I miss Becky something terrible and the fact that she is now an administrator at the hospital and not available to text me all day or chit chat away just really, well stinks! I guess we just have to chalk this up to growing up! I will say getting to see her or talk to her in any capacity is a real treat, which I suppose is the Lord's way of ensuring I do not take her for granted, but cherish the close relationship I have with her.

Steel Magnolias Inspired

2011-09-26T11:26:00.000-07:00

You've seen the flick, right? Remember the scene where Annelle goes haywire on the Christmas decor for the front porch? Well, I have always dreamed of having a front porch large enough to do just that, hopefully tastefully. It's a large space and my budget is limited when it comes to frivolous spending, how sad huh? With that in mind though, I am pleased with it. I do need to get the ladder up higher, but I cannot bring myself to screw anything into the stucco. Suggestions?

My only fear: Terry will crowd this gorgeous canvas in December with Christmas blow-ups (we have 5....yes, I said 5, all from his days with Christmas in the Nighttime Skies). Pray for us. Pray that Terry will forget about those blow ups. Pray they all suffered irreparable tears from our move. Pray that I won't be blamed.....

For now, enjoy our autumn porch:

What a difference a week makes!

2011-09-16T11:02:00.001-07:00

We have been in our house one week. We have the 'official' bed time and morning routines back, oh how I missed you! The kids have their hampers, their dressers, their OWN beds. They have an entire walk-in closet in the playroom to organize all their toys (which I love because then they are tucked neatly out of sight). I am so thankful for my brother, he was so generous in letting us stay with him for those three months (and my husband for a total of 7), but it is so nice to have our own space again. The first order of business was to get the kids settled to give them back some stability (Matthew's room was first as he needed it the most). Here are some pictures of what I have accomplished so far, still 5 or so rooms to go (Jill, is this acceptable?):

The Grand Tour

2011-08-25T10:04:00.000-07:00

Okay, back in April when we signed the construction deal, our top priority was to be in our house by school and we were GUARANTEED this by Richmond. Long story short, we are not getting into our house this month. The good news is Richmond is a great company that wants to ensure satisfaction, so when they called us with that final date, they assured us they would pay the fees to prolong our locked interest rate and they also asked what they could do to make it up to us. Terry told them to put in sprinklers and grass in the backyard, which they agreed to! (Afterward Terry was kicking himself for not asking for a fence, but goodness let's not get greedy right?) There are just a few minor things that need to be finished in our house like putting up shutters, painting the front door, and installing the last piece of glass in our shower. Oh, and one minor detail: INSPECTIONS! That is what we will wait on for the next two weeks before we get our keys at 5:00 PM on Sept. 7. That finished house will just tease us until then. Here's a primitive virtual tour of our 99% completed home:

Push Pause

2011-08-23T18:06:00.000-07:00

*Updated with Allie's picture. Also, I realize I haven't updated this blog with house pictures. I have a ton of them, but my computer crashed (using my mini-laptop now) with my two favorite photo programs that enable me to update my blog lickety-split. After I take Makenna to school, I will try and upload photos of our house cave-man style on this machine. By the way, our house is FINISHED (with the exception of painting the front door and shutters). More about that later :) Laurel, what say you to a Cafe Rio celebration?? :) I love that you love Cafe Rio as much as I do.

I don't want that pause button on for too long, just long enough to remember the most important things in my life: the love I have for my Savior Jesus Christ who helps me daily in cherishing my family. We may be in a transitional period that causes tempers to be short, items to be lost, and desires to be insatiable; but at the end of the day we can gather together and be thankful for what is good in our life. There truly is a lot. I hope the next two weeks can pass with patience and gratitude for all that we have.

In the meantime, Tuesday was a first for Makenna. Allie loved her first day Wednesday and is quite upset she doesn't attend every day. Here's a sneak peak:

Snowbird

2011-08-08T15:49:00.001-07:00

It has been a loooooong time since I used one of these groovy slide shows and I had several photos that I wanted to share, this allows me to do so without forcing everyone to scroll through a bunch of photos. WIN! We had such a good time up at Snowbird with 1/2 my family. We tried so many new things and the setting could not have been more beautiful. We tried out the bungy trampoline, rock-wall climbing, gondola rides, and more. The area is so green and gorgeous that I couldn't imagine spending the day anywhere else.

We ended the evening with an outdoor movie all snuggled up. Enjoy these summer nights while they last!!

Home update

2011-08-08T15:40:00.000-07:00

They painted today!! I couldn't go in or my kids would have left their mark on every crevice. I want it to stay fingerprint free at least until a few days after we move in. They have all the flooring in with the exception of carpet, stucco is finished, brick is up, stair railing is up - stained - ready for wrought iron installation, sidewalk concrete poured, closet shelving up, shower tiled....in short: they are making me so happy!!

This is the month!

2011-08-01T08:44:00.000-07:00

We close on our house this month. YIPPEE!! We created a paper chain for the kids to countdown when school starts, but it's serving dual purposes for us this year! The picture below is of the kitchen, viewed through the family room. They are finished with all the taping and mud work on both floors so this week we hope to see texture and paint. I can't believe how fast they move, and I am thankful for it! The second picture is the first layer of our stucco up and drying. The black around the porch (and parts of the garage) is where all the brick will go, then the triangle above the master bedroom windows will be covered in shake.

The sun hurts

2011-08-01T08:28:00.000-07:00

We have been in the sun a lot this summer. Matthew has super sensitive skin and I have been so careful to cover him with sunscreen thoroughly during each swim day, park outing, you name it. We decided to spend Friday outside with cousins on the Slip 'N Slide and in the water. Apparently being in Elko distracted me from remembering sunscreen, my poor boy!!!

Foam Day!

2011-08-01T08:20:00.000-07:00

A whole new way to look at a fire hose! Lehi launched their third annual Lehi Foam Day and it was a blast - literally!

See you in a week!

2011-07-25T06:41:00.000-07:00

I have driven by this site ~~practically everyday as a full fledged stalker~~ a lot since we moved over to UT. I am leaving for Elko tomorrow and might just possibly go through withdrawals. Terry will be back east so it's not like I can have him send me picture text updates. I think my brothers would laugh at me with that request....The good news is I will be pleasantly surprised when I pull into town Sunday night! Here is what our amazing construction crew is currently working on:

Gymnastics

2011-07-13T09:50:00.000-07:00

Well, the girls successfully wore me down on putting them in a sports activity. I had a good run of not transporting kids to practice.... We are a few week's into the program and Matthew has slept through each practice, I guess putting the girls in something is not too bad after all.

Field trips

2011-07-13T09:22:00.001-07:00

We have successfully explored different areas each week and I thought I would share two of my favorites so far (I think the kids would agree to these favorites as well).

Church History Museum. I can't believe I had never been here before. The youth exhibit is all hands on and if the kids hadn't gotten hungry, we'd still be there today I'm sure.

One of our other spots was Wheeler Farm. There were several animals to see, including a plethora of geese and ducks to feed.

¡Nuestra casa está buscando asombroso!

2011-07-13T09:05:00.000-07:00

True statement above. We keep referring to our house as our casa, so it seemed only appropriate to expand on that.

Lava Hot Springs/Portneuf River

2011-07-05T07:53:00.000-07:00

Our plan to camp in AF Canyon was a bust...we were too late to get a reservation. So we elbowed our way into the Lewis' plans and camped at Lava Hot Springs instead. The pool/water park was so crowded and not exactly suited for young children, but we managed to entertain ourselves there for a number of hours. Makenna had a blast on all the water slides and surprised both Terry and I with her flips off the diving boards. Allie begged to go down the big water slides, which she was tall enough for, but she had her float suit on and they aren't allowed down the slides. She was bummed and yet was able to spend the hours on the smaller slides, jumped in the pool endlessly, and did flips with Whitney. Matthew and I visited with a friend from Elko and another who just recently moved away, both who just happened to be swimming alongside us! Sunday was spent relaxing at camp, minus the ignoramus group that pulled in next to us.... Monday was spent floatin' the Portneuf River before heading home. Don't worry Sarah, I held onto Matt with a death grip and only took him down once on the "rapids," the other ride we went on was a sloooooow float to another camp and then Terry and Makenna hit the river again with the rest of the group.

Home construction update

2011-07-05T07:48:00.000-07:00

They are MOVING on our house. We pulled into town yesterday from camping, not expecting to see any change, but driving by because that's what we do.....and well well well we were not disappointed!

I joined The Club

2011-07-05T07:35:00.000-07:00

I was able to spend a lot of time shopping with two of my favorite gals for my 30th birthday. Each of us are in the process of getting new houses and found it was the worst time to shop though. Everything we saw would have been the perfect item for our new spaces, but none of us had the space to currently store it. I guess in retrospect it was the best time to shop as it saved us a lot of money and gave us a ton of *free* ideas. I was grateful they chose to drive over and spend time with me for a few days - but it was hard to say goodbye. I wonder if Bec & I will get to a point when we don't cry as we depart. I hope that never happens....it will mean we've allowed the mileage to distance us.

Thank you Becky and Sarah for a wonderful launch into my 30's. Thank you for hating UT for taking me, but tolerating it enough to come visit!!

I do have to acknowledge my husband's role as well, he returned from his business trip and took the day off Monday so I could play with my gals. He spoiled me with gifts and sweets, but offering his precious time so I could enjoy the day was by far the greatest gift he gave me (that and not getting angry that I went to Red Lobster without him....).

Father's Day

2011-06-20T14:49:00.000-07:00

Of course, now that we are settled, we said goodbye to Terry. He left this morning at 5 AM for his east coast tour of conferences, meetings, and connections with the MoTab while they are on tour. He hits Philly, DC, Atlantic City, Norfolk, and I think Chicago. He went over his schedule and then reviewed the choir's schedule with me as well, so I may have cities mixed up. At any rate, he won't be back until Saturday and he will be covering a lot of ground on this trip. The kids and I did our best to give him a proper send off on Father's Day. I am truly grateful for this man, for all that he is and all that he is becoming. We are so lucky to call him ours.

Explore Utah

2011-06-20T14:27:00.000-07:00

We walked down to the park the other night for dessert, live music, and a free movie on the big screen. What a great way to kick off the summer in the neighborhood!

We are in a routine again! I know, I know, the rest of you are enjoying summertime's opportunity to through schedules out the window, but I thrive on routine and continuity. We have established a schedule for ourselves here in Utah and it includes summertime fun, but the most important part is that we have our family all together and I can plan our days, dinner times, life as we knew it prior to the new job..... Our schedule includes Tuesday field trips, Thursday swim days, and a Wednesday non-friend day (kids have to read, work on school stuff, complete chores and enjoy their siblings this day; Wednesday night is date night where each kid rotates on a date out with Mom or Dad). That leaves Mondays and Fridays still to be willy-nilly summer free, but oh how I love schedules.

As a family we have scheduled a monthly outing to explore this new area we live in and this weekend gave us time to explore two canyons, the American Fork Canyon and then Provo Canyon, where we stopped to see Bridal Veil Falls. After our picnic in the canyon, we decided on a great spot we want to stay at for the 4th of July weekend.

Construction #1 & 2

2011-06-13T11:17:00.000-07:00

The week of June 13 brought a few changes to our site, but this week (June 20th) they are scheduled to begin framing. That will be some exciting photos (again, maybe only exciting for me, but.....) At church this last Sunday we talked more to a few of our new neighbors and between our house that is being built and two others down the street, we are adding 13 kids to the neighborhood!! I loved my neighborhood in Elko, but I am thrilled to have young children so close for my kids to play with.

Home construction

2011-06-07T10:38:00.000-07:00

We had our meeting this morning with our construction manager and are happy to report all the permitting is in hand. They staked out our lot last week, marked the dig, and will begin this week with the physical laboring of our home. Permitting is a long drawn out process that someone needs to fix. Takes longer to permit a house than to build one apparently. Alas, we are moving forward!

This photo may not be exciting to you at all, but it makes me super happy! You are looking at the front porch of our house right now (well, not literally, just where the front porch WILL be). Prepare yourself for multiple updates on our home construction - if that doesn't interest you, check back in August for our regularly scheduled posts :)

We live here now you know....

2011-06-07T10:20:00.000-07:00

Well. We're here in Utah. Two storage units are piled to the top, I can't find half of what I "need" and if the clothes remain in boxes any longer, I will probably throw them all out. There is so much to say on moving and yet I still have so much to do. Matthew is napping and the girls are down the street with cousins (super convenient BTW) so I will vent what I can and the rest will be vented to Becky and Sarah over the phone.....after I get a new one since mine went on strike last week, apparently upset about the move, it decided to quit on me. Yesterday I had to purchase two new pairs of shoes (thanks to my adorable puppy) and while walking out of the store I spotted more I liked. All I said was "Oh, Makenna look how cute those are" and she responded with rolled eyes, "You can come back later Mom, we live here now you know." Classic.

Makenna was baptized the day before we left. I was stressed about getting all the last minute items out of the house and getting it cleaned, so I was kicking myself for having her baptized the same weekend; but just as Laurie promised, we got to the church and sat down, listened to the music, the talks, and then I witnessed my husband walk her down into the water, say that sacred prayer, and my heart was full. I was grateful for all the family and friends who were there to support her and to say goodbye to our family. It was in fact the best way to end our life in Elko.

Matthew was present for his sister's baptism, just not in the mood for photos. :)

It's Great to be 8!

2011-05-23T10:29:00.000-07:00

My oldest turned 8 folks!! We celebrated her birthday by bowling and pigging out on pizza.

The following weekend, she finished up her season of Girl Scouts, earning quite a few badges.

Now she moves on to Activity Days in Primary (she was so excited, but now that we are moving and she doesn't know anyone, nervous is a better adjective) and next weekend she will be getting baptized. I have a kid old enough to get baptized? Unbelievable, not to mention a husband who is a worthy Priesthood holder that will perform the sacred ordinance. I truly underestimated what the Lord had in store for our lives.

Virginia is for Lovers

2011-05-08T18:52:00.000-07:00

BTW, I did not know that about Virginia until our gift basket arrived complete with pins and a bumper sticker that stated so. I will have to research why VA is for lovers. In the meantime, here is what I did learn about this gorgeous locale.

First, I have learned that flying into Virginia is not the easiest task. Okay, okay, not all planes headed to VA will encounter "mechanical errors," but ours did. Lucky for me, my husband had Delta reroute us to DC: PERFECT!!

I was able to check off an item from my bucket list - the Lincoln Memorial. We were not able to visit DC long, leaving a few items on my bucket list still, but I was giddy with delight as we approched this monument. Come to find out, touring DC is best completed at 1 AM. There were only a few other couples out, leaving the monument in the peaceful state it is intended to be viewed in. Terry and I were able to stand in awe at this memorial, read the words painstakingly carved in the walls, and then turn to view the Washington Monument. Yes, that was the best time to see these landmarks.

We stayed the night and met up with Terry's brother, who was in the area with his daughter and wife on a school trip (thanks to a FB post we learned this info). After a quick visit, we left the hotel (in the same clothes, naturally our luggage could not have been expected to make the flight to DC with us.....even though they had a good 5 hours in JFK to sort it out) and stopped at two more sites in DC.

Next tidbit learned: Virginia is green. Bright, rich, roll your toes in the grass, gorgeous green. Terry attended his conference during the day and I was lucky enough to tour Colonial Williamsburg (which happened to be an area in one of my favorite units to teach - I used to make my students become colonists and I would tax them just as the King did...they learned the lesson well!) There were beautiful gardens throughout, but the best were to be found at the George Wythe house and the Governor's Palace.

The pictures I took do the gardens no justice, they were blissfully peaceful. I found one location that I easily could have sat in awe for hours, especially when individuals such as these stroll through at times:Terry and I were completely immersed in 18th Century culture, especially while dining. Our waiter tied the cloth napkins around our necks and informed us the larger the cloth, the wealthier our host was. The napkin we had tied around our necks would have cost more than the table we sat at. Of course, it would have been imported.

Colonial Williamsburg has the best way to preserve our history, complete with apprentices in each trade to continue the art. I watched as one man ran the printing press; while he produced 4 pamphlets in 20+ minutes I couldn't help but think of the mass production lines we have today for publications. I watched another apprentice turn a small bar of silver into a spoon using only a hammer and heat from the fire. I talked with an 18th century wig maker, who declared George Washington was simply cheap for "wearing his own hair." The individuals portraying these characters are nothing short of brilliant, able to carry on conversations that stay true to 18th century vernacular, but always containing wit and humor. The hand sewn dresses have the most intricate stitching I have seen.

The Governor's Palace. Extravagance. Luxury. You walk into the foyer and encounter a display of 540+ weapons. Message received, loud and clear.

The jail is an original structure. We return our prisons to this style and I do believe our crime rates will lower; they had something going there, including the branding on your hand for crimes such as theft and manslaughter. They were never overcrowded in this jail, hmmm.

This trip could not have been timed better, we signed an offer on our house the day before we left, leaving the week completely stress-free and a perfect way to celebrate. I am grateful to Terry's new job that sent him there, for his request that I accompany him, and the foundation at Colonial Williamsburg that has perserved and will continue to live our nations history day in and day out.

I am thankful for family and friends who took care of my children all this week. I am thankful for my dear Sarah who watched Cider. I am thankful for the best Mother's Day gift I could have asked for, I returned home just in time to watch Makenna's talk in church today and then I pulled all my kids in my arms and got one of the best hugs I've had from them all week.

Easter

2011-04-25T16:08:00.000-07:00

I took an adorable picture of Matthew in his new suit, unfortunately I spaced getting the girls in their dresses. I will have to snag it on another Sunday.

One Cute 4 Year Old

2011-04-25T16:04:00.000-07:00

We had to squeeze in Allie's birthday between Saturday's open house and Easter festivities that night. I don't know, do you think she was upset by this?

My Three

2011-04-25T15:58:00.000-07:00

We spent the day outside while Dad showed our house off during the open house. I was grateful for the sunshine, for the people who viewed our house, but most importantly, for these three adorable kids that are by my side rain or shine, sell or not, good days and bad.

Respect Dr. Seuss - he nailed it!

2011-04-22T10:35:00.001-07:00

I know I need to be patient. I know there are people worse off than myself. I know I will be reunited with my husband before I'm 80. I know when this is over I will look back and say, "that wasn't too bad or nearly as long as it felt." However, for right now, this exact moment, I feel like time is not on my side (nor the home buyers out there apparently) and that "the end" will never get here. I feel exactly how Dr. Seuss described:

You can get so confused that you’ll start in to race down long wiggled roads at a break-necking pace and grind on for miles across weirdish wild space, headed, I fear, toward a most useless place.

The Waiting Place…for people just waiting.

Waiting for a train to go or a bus to come, or a plane to go or the mail to come, or the rain to go or the phone to ring, or the snow to snow or waiting around for a Yes or No or waiting for their hair to grow. Everyone is just waiting.

Waiting for the fish to bite or waiting for wind to fly a kite or waiting around for Friday night or waiting, perhaps, for their Uncle Jake or a pot to boil, or a Better Break or a string of pearls, or a pair of pants or a wig with curls, or Another Chance. Everyone is just waiting.

MoTab and Trafalga

2011-04-19T10:57:00.000-07:00

Terry and I switch off who travels and this last weekend was our turn to drive to UT. I had a rough week (all self-inflicted....I am a slow learner) and was eager to have my husband with me. We enjoyed time together with the Reese clan on Saturday and Makenna was lucky enough to attend her first of many Music and the Spoken Word performances on Sunday.

At Music and the Spoken Word with the MoTab in background:

Terry took her on stage and showed her the "secret passages."

Offer Signed!

2011-04-05T20:40:00.000-07:00

What a whirlwind.
The kids and I drove to UT Thursday
Shopped with Raquel all day Friday
Legacy Center that night (Matthew is FEARLESS in water)
Toured an overwhelming amount of homes on Saturday
Reba McEntire/George Strait concert that night
Conference Sunday morning (walked away truly grateful for Elder Bednar)
Drove by lots Sunday afternoon
Monday walked through another model and then signed the deal!

We are going to build a new home (contingent on the sale of the Elko property, 90 day count down begins now). I am sad that I did not dedicate myself to watching the other sessions of conference; however, we had a small window of opportunity while I was in UT and had to take advantage of this amazing deal that fell in our laps (after we drove all over the place and 'crashed' into it...). The good news is I can access conference online and will have a way to view it very soon.

In the meantime, I will share a brief history of the place we will soon call home:

Doesn't this picture make you want to put on a poodle skirt?

Lehi, the northernmost community in Utah Valley, was first settled by a small group of Mormons in the fall of 1850. Known as Sulphur Springs that first year, the community later was named Dry Creek and then Evansville. Early in 1852 local bishop David Evans presented a petition to the Utah Territorial Legislature requesting that the community be incorporated. This request was granted on 5 February 1852, making the town Utah's sixth oldest. Also approved was Bishop Evans's suggestion that the town be named Lehi. Like the Book of Mormon patriarch of the same name, the colonizers of Lehi had been uprooted on numerous occasions before finally settling in their promised land.

Historical sites and points of interest in the area include the best-preserved portion of the Pony Express Trail in Utah (at the Point of the Mountain). Indian Ford at the Jordan River and Dugout--a Pony Express and Overland Trail station--are also located west of town. Seven People's Co-op buildings, once part of the ZCMI chain, remain in Lehi. The two most significant were recently recognized by ZCMI, which installed two replicas of the 1869 ZCMI sign on the building fronts.

More importantly, Ren McCormack visted Lehi to work at the Roller Mill :) If you squint as you drive by, you just might see him all hot and sweaty as he stacks up those bags. If he isn't there, he's probably out in the field on a tractor or dancing in front of his VW Bug.....

"Lehi is a good place to live," has been the community's official slogan since 1911. In addition to a safe, quiet, family-oriented environment, the town offers such recreational opportunities as Saratoga Resort to the southwest, Wines Park, Willow Park, the local Olympic-size swimming pool, Veteran's baseball park, Heritage Theatre, and the world-famous Lehi Roundup rodeo, which for the past half-century has continually drawn top cowboys from all over America: including top cowboy Paul Jones!!!
*Info gathered from http://www.lehi-ut.gov/aboutlehi/aboutlehi.php

I owe my brothers and Laurie (as well as Ethan at times) a HUGE thank you for watching the girls as we toured homes; then all our kids when we went to the 4+ hour concert, and while we were at conference (5+ hours after the commute). I promise to watch your children at the drop of a hat for you (Rusty that means the dogs I suppose...) when we move just 6 minutes from you!!

For Sale

2011-03-22T13:44:00.000-07:00

A Wee Bit O'Fun

2011-03-17T09:05:00.000-07:00

Last year we rigged up a laundry basket to catch these tricky creatures and I debated whether or not this was a good idea. What you do with one child you have to do with all....right??? Do I really want to commit to this? Well, Makenna was assigned to make a Leprechaun trap for school. Naturally, we set it out, but discovered we are not great hunters; we failed yet again. However, this year those sneaky thieves were not quite as messy with their feet (thank goodness!). Instead, they left their mark with glitter paths....and poop. The kids didn't bat an eye, that poop was gobbled up in no time. Out the door and off to school with leprechaun kisses in their backpacks and another year down. We'll see if they visit us next year in UT, I don't think leprechauns visit there....right?

Disney on Ice Celebrations!!

2011-03-14T18:59:00.000-07:00

I apologize for the length of this post - this was the only activity we were able to do as a family this last weekend (minus a quick goodbye lunch on Sunday) and I want to cherish it; now we begin our three week separation from each other!

Matthew. Was. In. Heaven. Every time Mickey left the stage, he called for him. When Captain Hook came out, he did his usual sound for him. He clapped. He cheered. He hugged his Mickey Mouse tight.

Dad. I neglected to ask his favorite part, but I personally think it was when I sent him out with Allie for a potty break or when he was in charge of getting snacks. More likely that his favorite part was when he was scoping out his seats for today's Jazz game....

Allie tried to watch all the characters at once, but inevitably lost one or two and would frantically ask me to find them. Once found, she breathed a sigh of relief.

Makenna. She was off with her cousins, no doubt being silly and disguising her love for the show (she has begun thinking that she is too big for such nonsense like princesses.....)

Mom. I love the part in Enchanted when they sing "That's How You Know" in Central Park. It's just cheesy enough to make me smile, and Patrick Demsey makes it romantic enough to make me like it even more. So naturally, when Disney on Ice performed this piece, I was secretly jumping up and down with delight.

PS For Laurel. Activity on our house has been slow, but I guess steady. I have officially decided to stop looking in UT until an offer comes in on our house. I got attached to three houses that have been pulled out from under me. BOO

I'm so glad when.....

2011-03-07T18:49:00.000-08:00

Daddy comes home, glad as I can be.
Clap my hands and shout for joy and climb upon his knee.
Put my arms around his neck, hug him tight like this.
Pat his cheek and give him what? A great big kiss!!

Matthew was THRILLED when his Dad came home. The best part was he surprised us Thursday night - his boss gave him Friday off because he had been working so hard. I love his boss!! We enjoyed our extra time together. Terry and I were able to have a date night and accomplish a great deal this last weekend. Matthew was spoiled by his Dad....no surprise there :)

The boys wore themselves out having so much fun together!

The 10 day stretch without him went smoother than I had anticipated. However, I realize that will not be the longest stretch we will have to endure....we'll cross that bridge when we get there. In the meantime, I am focusing on the time were were able to spend together and increasing my gratitude for modern technology. Family Home Evening is just as crazy, I mean wonderful, over Skype!!

Kangaroo Zoo

2011-02-23T19:41:00.000-08:00

Just one of the places that will take all our money when we move to Utah.....

On a side note, this was day two of the new gig for Terry. He is loving every minute of it, minus the family not being with him. We are counting down the days as well....

Skyping in UT

2011-02-17T07:46:00.000-08:00

We celebrated Valentine's this year like usual, though not as well as we did last year. We wrote love notes and used our pouches, enjoyed pink heart shaped pancakes on the 14th, and were pleasantly surprised by Terry Monday evening with roses for all the girls and a dinner out on the town. To top the night off, the kids enjoyed a Valentine bath in red water!

Now I am in UT watching my brother's children (while they enjoy a fabulous cruise, I think they are in sunny Barbados today). Last night launched the first of many Skype nights for the Hritz family. Terry will be joining us here in UT tomorrow, but won't be returning to Elko next week with me. Skype will be the only link I have to abate Matthew's constant request for his dad.

I had a different perspective driving into the Salt Lake valley this trip. Normally on my mind are which stores I want to hit, which restaurants I will eat at, and what activities I can do with the kids. This drive, I timed how long it took me to get to my brother's from downtown Salt Lake. I am trying my best to convince Terry the commute won't be that bad from Saratoga Springs. I have found a few houses in my brother's neighborhood that would be perfect. Minus Terry's commute. He will start it daily next week and that will be the true test...

My niece and nephews launched into a campaign for buying a house down the street the second I walked in the door. Apparently they don't realize it's Terry they have to convince, I'm already sold on the idea.

Three kids are successfully off to school, one awaiting the start of preschool, and then the three remaining children and myself will walk around the neighborhood looking at houses (I will not report how many times I have already done this, nor how many total times I plan to).

Zoo Transfer!

2011-02-07T13:24:00.000-08:00

Terry received a call Wednesday. The phone interview, though unexpected, went great and he was asked to drive over for a live interview. Meanwhile, I cried with Becky. His interview was inside the tabernacle, during a choir rehearsal. I mean seriously, who in their right mind could walk away from that??? By Thursday afternoon he had the job. I cried again. This is who is he will be working with (doing PR and marketing!!):

So....we are moving!!! Terry and I have had so many "what if" conversations about moving, however, that's all they were....conversations. I was happy knowing my sister and dad were mere moments from me and available at the drop of a hat. Becky and I cried. A lot. Yet, Terry and I know in our hearts this is exactly what we are meant to do. I have convinced Becky to look for jobs in Utah. That allowed her and I to stop crying for a bit and look for homes together :) Terry is beside himself. He has a perma-grin as he walks around. I am thrilled for him. Excited. Elated. He leaves next Friday. That has me freaked out. Stressed. Overwhelmed.

Anyone want to buy our house? Or our scooters? Or.....anything else that I don't want to move with me to Utah?

Cone of Shame....and other goings on

2011-01-25T13:30:00.000-08:00

Since our weather has been so wonderful, bright, shiny, and pleasant...in a matter of days this beautiful winter scene from the SnowBowl has melted away and postponed Makenna's ski lessons.

Good news though, she finally convinced Mom and Dad to enroll her in Girl Scouts, therefore she has been successfully distracted!

In other news, do you remember this from a recent Pixar film?

Well, my poor dog is familiar with it these days!! We adopted this adorable Border Collie mix back in November and just recently picked her up from hip surgery. Poor thing was hit by something prior to her adoption that had crushed her hip-ball-joint-bone (I am sorry to get so very technical with you). We hope her recovery is quick because keeping Matthew away from this fascinating cone is quite difficult!!

Look away if you get grossed out...

I am thinking of getting one of these cones for Matthew, I wouldn't have to monitor him so closely around other children! We went through an hour plus of him hugging a little baby girl today at Enrichment. He was being relatively soft....and then he bit her. Dang it already, his record had be clean for so long!!

By Request

2011-01-11T20:26:00.001-08:00

For Sarah, who listens to the play by play of each project and never gets pictures when she wants them.
For Shari, who asked nicely for them. :)

Behold the tale of the bedroom transformation!
You know the history:

Makenna was downstairs in her cute little room.
Painted Allie's stripes.
Loved Allie's Ikea bed. Happy and Content were we.

Makenna changed her mind about being downstairs.
We tried to combine both girls' furniture into one room.
Bad. Bad. Had to change back before Mom lost her mind.

Makenna seemed happy and content again back downstairs.
Then we had our master closet redone, adding a new wall to be painted in Allie's room.
Santa visited and brought another change: Bunk beds.
Throw out the rule book and start from scratch:

Goodbye dear stripes. We spent so much time together measuring, taping, painting coat after coat to ensure you were worthy for presentation. You served that room well.

Goodbye (but not forever) adorable bed from Ikea.
(Look how little she was when we got that bed in 2009)
Hello new room. I think I can handle this!
Just a few paint touch-ups, place a border on the new wall, hang a few pictures, and we will be lookin' good!

You can't see it in the picture, but each small flower has a different colored rhinestone in the center. Bling-erific!
Wanna hear the best part? Bedding: $20 total for ALL of it. Vinyl flowers: $11. White shelf (have another) 50% off $11. Black paint: Free gift from Sarah (this paint was purchased in 2006!) I love great deals that are adorable!

Shari, Please note that clipped in Makenna's photo holder (on her shelf) are two photos that YOU took. Those are keepers!!

Olympics Here We Come!

2011-01-10T10:42:00.000-08:00

Terry took Makenna up to the SnoBowl for her first weekend of ski lessons. I better get on the mountain before she is better than me!

Fashion 101

2010-12-29T11:11:00.000-08:00

Anyone else's kids dress like this? According to Becky I am the worst mother around for allowing this.....

Two of our Christmas Traditions

2010-12-26T15:57:00.000-08:00

Another year over, man alive this month flew by! Here are a few annual traditions we enjoy at the Hritz household.

Christmas Eve pajamas

Visit from Santa! I believe this is the 7th year he has visited our home during our Christmas Eve dinner/gift exchange party.

Christmas day was spent assembling, snacking, being nagged about the assembly, more snacking, and then more assembling. From 8:30 to 2:30ish Terry and I put together three beds while the kids had free rein of the house and their gifts; we already have some missing parts to a few toys. Terry made several announcements throughout the day that any future Santa gifts had better be assembled at the North Pole prior to their arrival....

Now I need to have a paint party to match the new furniture! Any volunteers? :) Maybe I will wait a few days, have myself a nice nap first. Hopefully one that rivals the nap these kiddos enjoyed on Christmas:

He should put some clothes on!

2010-12-26T15:43:00.001-08:00

Makenna was a Cinnamon Drop in the recent production of The Nutcracker. She loved it, no surprise here; however, she was a little disturbed by the lack of clothing her dance instructor wore. She repeatedly asked me why he didn't wear "normal pants." I tried explaining to her the basics of dance, the reason behind certain attire, etc. etc. but she insisted that "he should put some clothes on!" I have to agree: ballet, albeit beautiful and graceful, has some of the weirdest mens' clothing.

Holiday Weekend

2010-12-16T12:08:00.000-08:00

Instead of traveling over the river and through the woods to grandmother's house, we drove two blocks and packed grandma's bags, then hauled her and our family into UT for a festive weekend. She enjoyed shopping (my favorite comment from her inside Kohl's: "Would you think I was terribly crazy if I bought both?" ... NOW I know where I get it from). We decided against making her walk around Temple Square in the rain, and enjoyed instead the holiday lights at Thanksgiving Point. Another day, we drove up to Heber and rode the North Pole Express (we were under the impression it was The Polar Express when we purchased the tickets....still enjoyable though and magical for the kids). For the grand finale of the weekend, we drove to Cache Valley so Grandma could attend Tanner's mission farewell; her first great-grandson to leave on a mission!

Feel the Spirit of Christmas.....Check!

2010-12-06T13:05:00.000-08:00

Remember when my grandma entered her nativity in the Creche festival last year (look here)? Well, Makenna wanted to enter hers this year, however, half of the parts were missing heads, arms, or various other body parts. Solution? Spend a snow day making an original! She had a perma-grin on her face as she walked her nativity into the church and placed it on one of the tables.The exhibit is truly worth visiting annually. This year, Makenna sang during the festival with her ward primary friends, and then joined the entire West Stake Primary choir. It was the sweetest way to welcome the true spirit of this season, nothing is more powerful than a child bearing testimony through song of their Savior Jesus Christ.

Another event we attended this past week, though not as spiritual, was enjoyed by each of the kids. Matthew was not too sure about this man in the red suit, but after his initial visit he kept trying to sneak back to him for another hug.

Last year I attempted a Christmas activity a day (compliments of Laurel). I will NOT be attempting that this year. Love the idea, however, the implementation does not go smoothly in this house. Besides, the four activities we completed in one day will be enough for the season, right Laurel?

Rink of Hritz's

2010-11-29T10:46:00.000-08:00

We arrived at Rink on the River fully intending to switch off sitting out with Matthew. Well, after he saw those sweet blades on our feet, he wanted in on the fun. Why not?

Oh yeah, that's why we didn't originally plan on skating with Matthew. Terry skated Matthew right off the ice and let him nap in the car. The girls and I enjoyed the next hour and a half in the rink. Makenna did not trust herself enough to let go of that wall....until her cousin showed up and taught her a few tricks (I'd like to add that he repeated everything I had already told her). Allie, on the other hand, was a natural and cruised around the rink with me at a pace that was quite surprising.

Minus Matthew's attempt at skating, this first-time-experience-as-a-family was a hit!

Encore! Encore! Too bad Elko doesn't have a rink....

Year two for Makenna riding the Scheel's Ferris wheel; Allie was finally tall enough this year. Matthew, poor guy, maybe he'll have a chance at both skating and Ferris wheel fun next year.

How Sweet It Is

2010-11-14T19:35:00.000-08:00

Friday after school, she immediately wanted her dress on. After an hour of begging to get ready, she was sent to shower. In record breaking time, she was out and asking for her dress again. In a desperate attempt to waste a little more time (oh, and the fact her mother neglected to buy new tights) she had her toenails and fingernails painted. Is it just me or does this picture (albeit of her feet) make her look terribly old?

Next, her hair was braided. Any other day, especially a Sunday, this would have taken all the time allotted and then some, and yet.....she still had a good hour of patiently waiting by the window. Luckily, Dad had a diversion and pulled out the flowers!
Okay, that was a good four minutes. Back to look out the window.Victory!! Their double date partners arrived. How cute do these four characters look?!!?

Off to dinner with Dad, Jim and Carly, and JPR and Olivia. With dinner complete, the crew set off for the Father & Daughter Ball.

Dad reported that they spent the entire evening dancing, pausing long enough to sit for a drink and a pink cupcake. When she finally got home, she was exhausted; she crashed in our bed after relating the entire evening's events to me. I drifted off to sleep, snuggled beside her, grateful that my husband and daughter were able to share such a sweet evening together.

Feed the Addiction

2010-11-12T10:36:00.000-08:00

Oh Toodles....look who turned 2!

Terry will be heading to Pittsburgh next week, leaving Veteran's day the best option to celebrate Matthew turning TWO. He loves Mickey. No, that is not the right word. He's obsessed. No, infatuated. Hmm, still not strong enough. At any rate, I think we just made this addiction of his worse.

Blessings

2010-11-08T18:32:00.000-08:00

I love this time of year!!

Sugar Preview

2010-10-25T17:05:00.000-07:00

We were once again invited to attend Mountain View's staff Halloween party. I always have high hopes that my children will love my Halloween costume ideas, and sadly each year I see how little our tastes coincide. My girls "fell in love" with the costumes they chose and completely ignored my brilliant themed costumes for the family. Alas, I find solace in knowing this is a trivial holiday and will save my fight for bigger issues (IE forcing Makenna to comb her hair before she goes to school and brush her teeth as least once a week).

Looking ragged and not at all put together, we ventured to the event and had a blast, even if Matthew refused to keep his Mickey ears on, Allie ripped off her Pumpkin Fairy/Princess wings (seriously, anyone else heard of that?), and Makenna had a cute little flower in her hair that clearly did not match the spider/vampire/countess outfit she was trying to rock out in. Needless to say, we did not win the costume contest. Maybe next year...

The girls tried their hands out (actually, their mouths) at the donut challenge. Sarah, RayLynn, and I could not stop giggling.

Here's Allie after the challenge. She was clearly confused, apparently thinking the purpose was to consume the sugary treat through her nostrils. Matthew did not attempt this game, he just walked behind RayLynn and snagged his two donuts straight from the box. Clever boy. He was quite proud of himself as you can see.

The remainder of the party included a picture walk, coloring time, pinata goodies, and much more.

Thanks for the invite, you know the Hritz's love a good party!

Go figure

2010-10-14T19:05:00.000-07:00

Matthew is a mystery. He claws, bites, slaps, and squeezes his sisters, myself occasionally, and at times, total strangers. He gets angry, frustrated, or overly excited immediately preceding these actions. And yet.....you place Trey in his arms and his demeanor turns angelic.

The only problem.....he wants to hold little Trey ALL THE TIME! Perhaps I should have another baby to calm Matthew down, keep him more on the angelic side. HAHAHAHAHA I think we will stick with our rough little Matthew, get him some teeth guards maybe.

Mothers.....Brace Yourself

2010-10-05T08:07:00.000-07:00

I have a sick child home today. When I mean sick, I mean she was up all night visiting the latrine....but she's well enough to actually be in school, if it wasn't for their "health codes." I have a plan; prep for my class this morning, and then keep her busy all day baking. The weather is perfect for baking and if I don't do this, she'll drive me UP and DOWN the walls. These ladies know what I'm talking about:

Sara, get off my back.

2010-10-03T17:42:00.000-07:00

Thank you Sara, for every time you lectured me about not updating my blog with bathroom pictures. Thank you for acknowledging how inefficient I am as a blogger. Thank you for drawing my attention to every flaw I possess. Wait, wait, I suppose I should admit that if you had not been nagging me for pictures this whole time, Makenna's bathroom probably wouldn't be finished. Joking aside, thanks, I finished! Makenna thanks you too. :)

Before picture:

"Grand" reveal:

The artwork started out completely different, then I fell in love with the ever-present Subway art I am seeing all around. The shelves took me a little longer than I had anticipated, solely because the paint I had out was used for more than just the shelves (Matthew and paint DO NOT mix well). I can now safely say I am proficient with an additional tool in our garage: air compressor nail gun. I am ready to tackle the next project, once Matthew is a little older! Or, if Sara is willing to supervise the children from start to finish of the next project, I'll get right on it :)

Officially Fall

2010-09-27T10:28:00.000-07:00

Fall has finally come, though the weather is still quite hot some days. Nevertheless, we are enjoying some of our annual traditions to launch fall. For me, that means decorating, baking, and ....grading. For Terry, football. He is now announcing high school football on TV, a first for EHS. Terry also just attended his first college football game of the season (we went into UT for the weekend so he could see BYU v UNR; he enjoyed rubbing in his victory to my brothers). Terry will be hitting his annual NFL game next month, not a bad fall so far for him. For the kids, this season means all things planning. Catalogs have already begun piling up advertising the latest Halloween outfits, not to mention the launch of Christmas list making with the ever-increasing pile of magazines.

This season, in our area at least, also brings balloons. No, not those little helium ones that drive me nutty as the kids fight over who will play with whichever colored balloon. I am referring to the gorgeous gliders through the sky. An annual tradition for the 2nd graders at Mtn View includes a special field trip up close with these beauts. Makenna was able to spend the morning inside an inflated hot air balloon, with all the other 2nd graders, in order to celebrate the Ruby Mountain Balloon Festival. I didn't have to teach until later that morning, so I accompanied her to the playground and snapped a few pictures.

I think this experience began much better than her flight in one of the hot air balloons a few years back. She was sooooo cold before the balloon launched, yet she warmed up and was able to enjoy the ride after all. Needless to say, we enjoy our Ruby Mountain Balloon Festival around here.

Overall, we've had a good launch into Fall!

Happy Fall, y'all!!

NERD Alert!

2010-09-19T23:30:00.000-07:00

Rusty, avert your eyes.

I hosted our Bunco group Saturday evening (at my Dad's fantastic new outdoor living space). We recently decided the game of Bunco itself has gotten quite old, and therefore opted to allow each host free rein to "mix it up." See if you can guess what my theme was.....

Slytherin was appropriately taped onto the trash bin.

The gals' treat bags, complete with a movie ticket to view the newest HP in Nov.

My compliments to Shelley Smith...House of Smiths

Playing my favorite game of all time....with a new twist that I adore!

The boys could never possibly be expected to stay away from a screen that large...even Terry lingered and watched HP while we played!

She went all out....and that is why I love her dearly!

Trulee, please accept my sincere apologies. Becky had a baby boy, Trey, and he is the sweetest newborn babe around.

Her shirt was amazing....she must have sweet connections!

Thanks for indulging one of my passions ladies, I had a blast prepping for this evening!

PS I am still working on the bathroom. I have painted it twice (no comments on that please) and then tiled and grouted. Toilet placement and installation of new vanity/sink should be forthcoming!

What I Know

2010-09-12T15:35:00.001-07:00

The past few weeks have been quite transitional for my family. Makenna started school up again. With that naturally comes the renewal of morning routines, homework scheduling, lunch preparations, and so forth. I have not had my sister's children around since she had the baby and the first week of school was therefore all about Allie and Matthew, easing them back into days without their older sister. In reality, there really wasn't a need for easing, I would say they are relieved because now they don't have another person, beside myself, bossing them around all day.

The following week I started teaching at Great Basin College. GASP! I thought I would be terribly nervous, instead I woke up and literally wanted to sharpen every pencil in my house and sit in my college classroom awaiting my new students (I thought about sharing my newly sharpened pencils, but I have this weird connection to them and I just couldn't do it). I have now taught at GBC for two weeks and things are going smoothly. I have learned a great deal in that short time. One: College freshman are extremely nervous creatures. Two: Older adults, who are new to the college campus after long years away, are even more nervous than the youngsters. Three: When you have a room full of nervous students, the material you planned taking 75 minutes ends up taking around 35. Fourth and final lesson learned: I am going to love this new gig (once those kids open up and my activities take up the allotted time).

This week my second college class started, with BYU-I. While I don't have a physical classroom I can go and sit with my newly sharpened pencils, anticipating the arrival of my students, I do have a virtual classroom that I checked about a thousand times on Day 1. I have a few foreign students, a returned missionary, a newlywed, and more. Our introductory activities have only just completed, but right off the bat I know: I am going to love this gig as well.

Meanwhile, it has been business as usual in our home. One sad thing happened though. Terry has organized a bus for our stake temple day the past three scheduled stake days. I have accompanied my dear husband on that bus and had the best day trips to the temple with him on each. Saturday was his fourth time organizing a chartered bus trip to the Salt Lake temple. However, when he boarded that bus, he did so alone. I was unable to secure a babysitter for our kids and was sadly at home. Terry had a wonderful trip to the temple, he wasn't literally alone, he had friends and family (my Dad and Patsy) with him....but we still missed each other a great deal that day. This is a picture he took on our very first temple trip, that sweet Shari Kurtz turned into an adorable storyboard for him.

Well, if you know me, while Terry is away, I am not idle. I get to work.

Okay, so I didn't finish the job this weekend, but I was able to accomplish a few others to completion while I took a break from this renovation. I have high hopes to finish this bathroom next week...if my fall crafts don't get in the way (oh yeah, and my new teaching jobs as well).

Anticipation!!

2010-08-26T11:58:00.000-07:00

She checked in 12 hours ago. I can't wait to be an aunt (for the 28th time!). I am heading up there shortly (in time I hope) to capture the little darling on camera pre/post his arrival.
I am sure she would appreciate any and all prayers for a quick, safe, healthy, fast delivery. Send her good thoughts folks!!

Yes to Pencils, Books, & Teacher's Dirty Looks

2010-08-23T09:09:00.000-07:00

Sharpen #2's, check.

Pack PB&J, pistachio pudding, granola bar, & milk; double check.

Enjoy twenty minute conversation with BFF regarding first day outfits, mean girls, and awesome teachers; triple check.

Rise at 5:30 AM and complete five-minute-interval time checks.....

Yes folks, Makenna is back in school!

Saying Goodbye

2010-08-16T13:01:00.000-07:00

Words truly will not do this woman justice. Loretta surpassed what doctors that possible. She embraced all around her. She loved. She was loved.

Terry was able to say goodbye to his dear mother Monday, August 9, 2010. She was surrounded by her husband, her children & their spouses, her brother, and other family members as she left this world. I cannot speak for my husband, but having lost a mother in an instant, being with Loretta during those moments was one of the most beautiful, sacred experiences I have been blessed with in this life. I wish I could have had that opportunity with my own mother; this is not to say the experience makes the loss easier, but it certainly offers peace of mind knowing you were able to say goodbye.

One of Loretta's greatest fears was not living to see her grandchildren born. She was able to meet each of her 10 grandchildren here on earth and will now have the pleasure of looking over them for the remainder of their earthly lives. What a blessing for my children to have two loving grandmothers cheering them on in spirit and always surrounding them in love.

Meeting Makenna

Meeting Allie

Meeting her tenth and final grandchild: Matthew!!

We love you Grandma Reno! You will be missed, and never forgotten.

A Tale (or Two) of Tahoe

2010-07-31T09:58:00.001-07:00

We had a fabulous week away, enjoying a great deal of water and a few surprises. We have been doing this Hritz sibling trip for about 8 or 9 years, each year bringing with it something new. We have enjoyed boating, water skiing, bike riding, broken bones, etc. This year, as tradition would have it, we experienced something new as well. I am feeling very narrative today, so get ready for quite the tale.

To launch the trip, we pulled into Reno and Terry dropped the kids and I off at the river for a swim with TT Shell (Terry headed to the hospital to visit his Mom, we opted to excuse the kids as last visit Allie broke her glass rose and Matthew tried pulling all her tubes out). This was a first for us at the river and it was an instant hit. Brianne rocked the tubing with Makenna; Allie, Matthew, and I enjoyed cooling off in the 100+ degree weather.

Next stop, Terry's 20 year high school reunion. Didn't take my camera, but we were in and out fairly fast and enjoyed the evening alone, walking along the river bank. It truly is beautiful what Reno accomplished downtown to spruce up the place. Of course, Terry's wheels were turning and wants to recreate it with the Humboldt. Not that I don't believe in my husband...I just don't think the Humboldt has it in her.

Third stop, Fallen Leaf Lake/Lake Tahoe. This is one of my favorite places on Earth. The drive annoys me before we leave, but in the end, I definitely find it worth the effort. Each day we enjoyed an AM swim in Tahoe, then hit Fallen Leaf in the afternoon. The camp and both lakes are absolutely gorgeous; another worthwhile, successful trip.

Terry and I enjoyed our annual scooter ride along the lake up to the lodge. A perfect day would include this, it really is that beautiful.

Surprise #1 I really should submit this marketing campaign to Crocs. My sister and I caught a jellyfish with my Croc while swimming in the Mediterranean outside Nice, France (Summer 2008). Well, with an alternate Croc, I caught this crawdad in Lake Tahoe while there. Seriously....I could be in the money with this!

Surprise #2 There are bear lockers at our Fallen Leaf Lake camp. We used them, for the most part. Our last evening there however, one hungry bear stumbled into our camp and plopped himself (herself?) down for a midnight snack. Chorizos, gone. Hot dogs, gone. Sour cream container, licked clean. Eggs, crushed. Shrimp, half eaten. Pop cans.....well see for yourself. The whole time, I ran a game plan through my mind of where I would put the kids and which item from our tent would serve best as a weapon. Luckily, the bear was satisfied with what our cooler had to offer and headed back to his (her?) cave to sleep it off.

Surprise #3 On our way home Terry decided to drive through Virginia City and show us the little town. As we drove around he decided we should stay the night and check things out. I love his spontaneity.

Now we are home and have three weekends left before school begins for Makenna and I. We have a few trips up our sleeve still, so stop by again :)

Summertime

2010-07-13T20:57:00.000-07:00

Well, here we are in July. Here I am amidst more classes. Last summer I swore I would never enroll in courses during summer vacation again. Consolation comes in knowing I will not be in classes for 18 months, and the reward to this certification class is a job at BYU-I. With that in mind, I am actually enjoying the course and learning a great deal.

Terry's mother had emergency surgery a few weeks back and we have finally seen enough positive progression that I think my husband's shoulders have lifted a bit. She is finally out of the ICU, which means when we go down on Thursday, the kids and I will be able to visit her. Terry was actually able to TALK to her this evening (she has been ventilated this whole time, finally received a tracheotomy enabling her to talk and get rid of that miserable tube down her throat). Our family has gained an even stronger testimony of the power of prayer!

Aside from this news, it is business as usual for our summer. One major glitch, my oldest sister thinks this animal should spend a week at my house after it's current landlord gives it the boot (Becky better just send this thing to FISH or I may throw it in the next s'more fire we have!).

Are we really half-way through summer?

Wizarding World of Harry Potter

2010-06-28T13:22:00.002-07:00

I will dish out the negatives first and get those out of the way. If you are a true Harry Potter fan, you should definitely put this on your "do before die" list; however, wait until all the idiots go through. I think there should be a requirement that only those who have read the books prior to visiting, be allowed in. Or, I suppose, at least those who have watched the movies. There were way too many people crowding up Hogsmeade (and the lines) that had no idea what they were in line for, or even why there constituted the need for a line. Olivanders, The Three Broomsticks, Butterbeer, etc are ALL a big deal, therefore there will be a line. Good grief people, either take an interest or GET OUT! So.....try visiting in a few months, it will also be cooler then. Second, buy the trinkets you want BEFORE visiting. They ran out of what I wanted!! Even Terry commented that he knew Gryffindor items would sell out, therefore they should have stocked more of Gryffindor trinkets. Alas, you can buy these things online (once they have transported the "magical merchandise" from the Wizarding World to their warehouse....so I have to wait longer). With that being said.....I have come to the conclusion I simply do not have the space on blogger to describe what I LOVED about the park, so decide for yourself whether or not I found the trip worth all the above:

Celebrating TEN, 10; One Zero!

2010-06-28T09:58:00.000-07:00

June 24 marked our 10 year anniversary. To commemorate our decade of devotion (and my birthday thrown in there), Terry surprised me with a trip back to Florida. Okay, okay, so the surprise was uncovered a few days prior to our departure.....but it didn't diminish the fact that the trip was totally unexpected and worth the time (three entire days of JUST us....and thousands of other fans of course), effort (kid arrangements, planes, shuttles, lines, etc), and expense (a bit pricey, but for what we did, expected).

I have a lot to say about this trip and in order for me to gather my thoughts, I have begun with the pictures of our first activity, I will return later with activity #2 (involving those thousands of fans mentioned earlier).

Orlando Temple: Beautiful. Quiet. Peaceful. Relaxing.

Happy Anniversary!
PS Terry ~~was forced to endure~~ thoroughly enjoyed the several pictures I took while we waited for our shuttle to pick us up!

"Mower" about Fathers

2010-06-21T08:29:00.001-07:00

A great deal has been said this last weekend regarding the value of fathers in our lives. I will add just a few more words, specific to my husband.

I am thankful to my sweet sister, who completely without prompting, captured these precious moments of fatherhood following the birth of each of our children. I was in love with my husband prior to the day we wed, I loved him the days and years preceding our vows, but it was within these three sacred moments that my heart knew no bounds and I was blessed to witness the making of a truly wonderful man, a father.

Makenna, 2003

Allie, 2007

Matthew, 2008

There truly is not a gift on this earth that could equal the sanctity and privilege of being a father, though I find it still appropriate to offer up some trinket to celebrate this special day. The kids of course were involved and I think these little darlings will sit just fine on his desk.

As a fun spin, to tie in the recent acquisition of the new biz, we also offered him "mower" treats than usual.

Back Up Plan

2010-06-18T08:20:00.000-07:00

Summer is here, in full swing. We are enjoying our days at home, with occasional visitors stopping by for play dates and BBQs. I did not enroll the kids in one single activity, I am aiming for a summer with less running around and more simplicity. I have rather enjoyed it so far; however, I have suspicions time may be running out before the kids ask for more. So . . . I think I will have one of these installed in my house as a back up plan. We had to drag the kids off, with Matthew screaming for more!!

In case you don't have anything special to do today. . .I have already wasted a significant amount of time drooling over the new Wizarding World that finally opened today! It is definitely worth a look over! That's right folks, the years of reading and rereading (and forcing some of my students to read, as well as incorporating HP into talks during sacrament meeting) have turned me into a die-hard HP fan that would love nothing more than to spend my days with Harry, Ron, and Hermione! They spared no expense with this place!!

Makenna finally photographed

2010-06-09T17:47:00.000-07:00

Courtney, this current post is for you!

A Spiritual Summer

2010-06-07T09:53:00.000-07:00

My goal this summer is to create a more spiritual atmosphere around my house. Summer time can create chaos with the lack of routines and I want to prevent that, while still enjoying our lazy days. The Friend and Scriptures4Kids.com have a few ideas I am trying out. What I love about the Gospel is whenever I stand in need of something, or need to improve on an area, resources become available instantly to help me. Never ceases to amaze me how topics in the Ensign, or discussions in church, address exactly what I am trying to improve at the time; just another confirmation that we are on the right track, even though we occasionally stumble!

Disney Cruise and Florida Vacation

2010-06-03T17:57:00.001-07:00

Sorry, this is the only way I can share the photos without going crazy. I uploaded some to FB, but to upload those same photos on Blogger would take considerable space. Plus, if you don't want to look at the photos, they are not posted all over so you can skip it! Win win for all I say!
We had a great time, this cruise was to celebrate Terry and I's 10 year anniversary, the completion of my M.Ed., Terry's birthday, my Dad and Patsy's 10-yr anniversary (yes, I typed that right...weird huh?!) and basically......because we wanted to!

Click here to view this photo book larger

Final Birthday Celebration

2010-05-31T11:13:00.000-07:00

Our final birthday celebration of the month...man alive Terry was the luckiest! Stand by for more photos!

7th Heaven

2010-05-17T09:38:00.000-07:00

Red. Orange. Yellow. Green. Blue. Violet. Makenna wanted a rainbow party to celebrate the big 7. After planning for it, I now see rainbows everywhere! We started with making edible crayons to take for her school snack and the following day, enjoyed a beautiful party in the backyard full of rainbows and fun.

This cake was enormous! Best layer: orange.

4 Down, 3 To Go

2010-05-14T11:20:00.000-07:00

Behold, Matthew's debut of moves at one of the birthday parties we attended. Aside from occasionally becoming distracted by the dancers displayed on screen, he entertained all.

Here are the two gals that couldn't stop gigglin' over his wiggles, and requested more:

Here's to birthdays! Two tomorrow and the grand finale on the 26th.

Photo shoot at the Reese Compound

2010-05-08T20:43:00.000-07:00

I had planned for a friend to drive out this weekend for a visit and we were going to get in a family photo shoot, however Shari wasn't able to make it so I improvised by taking the pictures myself. Makenna was at a sleepover/birthday party so she will have her "photo shoot" later as well as our family photo.....or with how UNinterested Matthew was with pictures, perhaps not at all. I took hundreds (seriously, I had hundreds) of Matthew's profile, the top of his head, the back of his head, pictures with his thumb in his mouth, etc. I limited myself to 20 minutes (good idea or the three of us would not have survived the task) and I decided my Dad's property had the best potential for us to roam around without worrying about Matthew venturing far off; it worked out perfectly....aside from the fact that Matthew kept heading to my Dad's front door (as well as the door to Great Grandma's apartment) to bang on it for entry. One photo, taken at the front door, ended up being one (of the three) that turned out. Allie, on the other hand, was a complete doll and aside from the fact that her eyes seemed to wander off the moment I said "look at mommy," produced some great shots, not a hard task when you are as cute as she is!

Terry pointed out that I didn't photshop the nasty scrape he has on his head.....we'll see if I get back around to it.

No, the above picture is NOT of the front door to my Dad's I was referring to earlier.....but I LOVE this door on my Dad's property!

Official Launch

2010-05-02T16:04:00.001-07:00

Birthday season has arrived for our household. We will be celebrating 7 birthdays this month. I can certainly shout out HB! to Vicki (hers is today), as we won't be officially celebrating with her, or it could have been 8!! Allie's birthday was the official launch of festivities on Saturday, she is THREE years old and the cutest cupcake princess I have ever seen!

To other May birthdays......you're in good company and HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!

97,387 words later

2010-04-20T16:26:00.000-07:00

Okay, so that number is an estimate. I know I wrote 57,387 words in papers, then I averaged my discussion posts to be roughly 500 words (which was a LOW-BALL estimate) per week, for 80 weeks. I didn't even count the rationale statements I had to type, or the emails to all my professors, among other communications. That is a lot of words! That is a lot of typing. That is a lot of time with my back hunched over my computer with Becky's advice regarding my posture nagging in the back of my mind! Those numbers barely skim the surface when I compare them to how many words I read. I don't have a strong enough calculator for that equation.

I will be submitting my portfolio to the review board and will receive notification back in 2 - 3 weeks whether or not I was found worthy to become a Master of Science in Education.

Hey Mrs. Stocking, I no longer have "hood envy"...
signing off Raegan R. Hritz, M. Ed.

Terry....by definition

2010-04-19T09:16:00.001-07:00

My husband is a busy man. I do not just mean busy at work. He's busy busy. While home, he is constantly looking for something new to do, someone to visit with, something else to try. This is by no means a complaint about my husband. I love him dearly, most especially his energy and zeal for life. Our days are never boring and I can always count on him when I get the busy bug and want to try something new as well....

We will have been married for 10 years in just a few short months and I have witnessed him come up with ideas and succeed at them all. He has taught at the college (I was green with envy), tried his hand out in the restaurant business (he learned how to make a MEAN steak sandwich), dabbled as a DJ and MC (I finally convinced him to sell the disco ball).....all the while maintaining his media career by day. This month is no different. He recently purchased an established, local business. That's right folks, Terry is off and running with his latest idea. Before I reveal (although so many of you already know) I thought it only appropriate to quote Webster as they define Terry: entrepreneur/en·tre·pre·neur Pronunciation: äⁿn-trə-p(r)ə-ˈnər, one who organizes, manages, and assumes the risks of a business or enterprise.

He has certainly been organizing away, but I think he has been "practicing" more. I am beginning to think this latest venture only meant he could get his hands on a fancy rider! He has "mowed" our lawn four times already: FOUR!!! It wasn't until this last mow that I could actually tell (in his defense, I think our lawn wasn't ready to wake up so early from it's hibernation). For those of you that really know us, that's more than he mowed our lawn all season a few summers ago. Ironically, the gentlemen he bought the business from was mowing our lawn back then. Strategy, it was all strategy I am sure!

So if you see Terry out on his "new" rider, give him a honk and a thumbs up!

I can taste it folks!

2010-04-13T15:20:00.000-07:00

Major milestone reached yesterday. I woke up Monday morning, determined to begin one of my final projects for the final class in my degree program; the more I wrote, the more determined I was to finish it. I cannot express in words the elation I felt when I submitted my cumulative application to my professor. Total length: 14 pages; Word count: 2,977...all in one day!! I was able to complete my paper while Matthew enjoyed repetitive climbing activities over my desk chair. I completed it even after stopping countless times to button up Allie and Reese's dress up clothes. I completed the paper even though my head was ready to bust open from the amount of cross referencing I had incorporated. I completed it.

Two more papers to go. TWO...I can seriously almost taste my degree, the end is so close. In just a short time, I can cap the lid to this tote of resources and take a long deserved siesta, without the nagging feeling in the back of my mind that I should open up one of my books and complete a little more research.

Amy's Amazing Alterations and.....

2010-04-05T10:48:00.000-07:00

Amy brought me pillows that looked like this:

along with some fabric to recover them.

After this little mishap:

I turned the iron down, and pressed on (pun intended!).

They turned out like this:

I will now will be purchasing the brown and plaid fabric to do the center one (multiple times) for my couch pillows upstairs. If I had more of that fabric, that's all she would have received back.
I am in LOVE with that one!

While I watched Conference this weekend (amazing, by the way....loved the talk Saturday about Primary and didn't fail to recognize the several talks about parenting) I was sewing the pillows for Amy and these little cuties for Allie's upcoming birthday:

Here are my dolls Easter morn:

Can you tell Allie was excited to get her flip flops? I can't imagine why, she won't be able to wear them with all this SNOW we're still receiving!!

Backwards dinner

2010-04-01T18:37:00.000-07:00

The girls were so excited to have cupcakes before dinner, followed with our spaghetti; they probably thought I had officially lost my mind and didn't question the April Fools switch. Poor unsuspecting little dears...

What did I just bite into?

Makenna was not impressed with my joke at all:

Matthew didn't even bat an eye with the cupcake meatloaf.

We delivered this dinner to my Grandma tonight. She dug into the noodles and discovered something was amuck. She didn't miss a beat though and quickly said, "This is April Fool's day isn't it?" She giggled through her whole meal. I had so much fun with this today.

On a side note, those cupcake meatloaves are the perfect portion for our kids. I may just pull that recipe out in the future! The spaghetti cupcakes were super rich, we should have shared, but way fun to make.

Chick days!

2010-03-31T16:02:00.001-07:00

As much as we are enjoying our SPRING weather......

We headed out on a field trip, during a nasty snow storm, to witness a true sign of spring:

Yummmmm-E!

2010-03-31T15:32:00.000-07:00

I recently discovered this delicious treat (which apparently has been around the neighborhood for awhile, thanks for sharing EARLIER ladies). No worries, I tried them out yesterday with my book club. Oreo truffles....YUM - E!! I made 100+ so the gals took bags home with them and I was forced to deliver the rest or I would have eaten them all in a moments time! I also made, in case you're curious about the rest of the photo, cranberry-apple brie (I was seriously addicted to this stuff a few years back) and bruschetta. I was most excited about those adorable little truffles though. The easiest, classiest-looking treats I think I have ever made. Thanks to Katie for making them with me and of course a thanks to all those gals that scooped them out of my house so I wouldn't gain 10 pounds!!

Crepe Paper, Dragons, Blondes, and Babies

2010-03-29T10:27:00.000-07:00

Updated, with pictures!

We spent the weekend in UT with family. My newest nephew Caden was blessed, Terry was able to stand in the circle for the first time during a family baby blessing, it was wonderful.

Terry and I headed out for a date day while Randy watched all 10 kids (you are amazing, dear brother!!). We hit our next show at Capitol Theatre: Legally Blonde. I was a little hesitant to see this musical, the movie was certainly.......cheesy, to say the least. The story line can not be compared to other Broadway shows we've seen (Wicked, Les Miz, etc.) but in terms of quality, it was not a disappointment. I can not wait for our next trip to Capitol: LION KING with the kids!!

We went and saw How to Train Your Dragon - great flick!! The fact we saw this in a real theater (as opposed to the alleyway that we watch movies in at Elko) had me smiling: Reserved, stadium seating. With 6 adults and 10 kids, that is an excellent feature!! We all sat together without arriving hours before to find seats! Trays with yummy food on our laps, reclining comfy seats.....ah, I only hope Elko's renovation of their current theater is in this direction!!

Here are a few pics of some of the cousins having a crazy good time together:

For the drive home, I stocked up on crepe paper of various colors and made some of these for my next project:

Where the Wild Things Are

2010-03-25T09:31:00.001-07:00

We recently rented the movie Where the Wild Things Are. Becky had advised us that it was "very weird," especially the friends of one of the Wild Things. Well, we watched it anyway to judge for ourselves. I will admit, there were a few parts that had me scratching my head, but overall I thought it was good. Our imaginations sometimes produce odd experiences (especially when we are young) and I think the movie portrayed that nicely. So there's my review in a nutshell. However, that is not the purpose of this post. At the end of the movie, I was amazed by one little thing, a moment that I hope I can keep a mental picture of; Makenna cried. I don't mean she shed a single tear and moved on. She all-out-cried, like I do while watching Steel Magnolias or Pay It Forward, or a LONG list of other movies that turn on my water works. She was so upset when the little boy left the Wild Things. I was already on the edge of my seat emotionally as I watched the boy board his little dinghy, so when I looked over at Makenna, I started to bawl. I don't know why, but it was a special moment; one that told me Makenna is seriously growing up. She is understanding this world of ours a little better, to the point it makes an impact on her personally.... We haven't read the book yet (I know, I am a horrible mother) because it is buried in my attic with all my classroom supplies, but I look forward to reading that with her and seeing what she has to say.

To explain the photo above, after watching the movie (and wiping mine and Makenna's running noses and watery eyes) the kids asked to make a fort like the boy in the movie. I was feeling pretty 'lovey-dovey' after the movie, so I complied. It turned out to be a wonderful evening, albeit after a few "weird" moments sneaked in.

Winter I release you!

2010-03-19T11:02:00.001-07:00

Spring can officially arrive tomorrow without feelings of guilt ..... I finished my project with time to spare!!

I am having reservations about the fabric I used for the second flower from the left, I used three different fabrics and it seems to me the first & third - fifth flowers match better. What do you think, should I replace that second one so it won't drive me nuts all Spring? Also, do you think they need leaves? Found the flower tutorial online here

Luck...reserved for the Irish indeed!

2010-03-17T08:32:00.000-07:00

Last year the girls discovered leprechauns. They turned our milk green. This year, Makenna set out to capture one of those silly creatures by enticing them with sparkly things (money, a necklace, and our March decoration that has sparkly shamrocks on it) in hopes they would disrupt the trap and get stuck inside the basket. Well, they couldn't leave her disappointed... This trick worked wonders for previous students and it had Makenna's wheels turning big time this morning! She went outside and checked the snow for their prints and has a new game plan for next year.....whoops! Maybe those leprechauns should have left it at green milk!

Check out the video, Allie was NOT impressed with those dirty, thieving leprechauns!

The Business of Boys

2010-03-15T20:06:00.000-07:00

The bathtub incident was a first for him; the clothing removal however, was not. How can you get upset with an innocent face like that? So he was bathed twice, and I continue to fold the clothes countless times throughout the week. If I didn't love him so much, I'd think twice about this mother job of mine.....oh how I love him though!!

I was able to visit our friend who just had her fourth, precious, bundle of love. I will go ahead and repeat the never ending cliche, I cannot believe my kids were ever that small!! While we are elbow deep in diapers, laundry, homework, and dishes we lose sight of how fast they age before our eyes. Moments like tonight, when I breathe in the smell of a newborn and catch a glimpse of heaven on earth, cause me to pause and count my blessings. I will take days like this, where clothes are piled on the floor and kids climb into the tub fully dressed, a million times over versus a life without kids.

FREE (plus shipping)

2010-03-08T08:54:00.000-08:00

Okay, there are currently some great deals out there dealing with photo gifts (for yourself, or others).

One of the deals I mentioned earlier was regarding canvas prints. I loved the first so much I returned to canvaspeople.com and ordered the free 8X10 (shipping was 14.95, that's where they get ya) Still, canvas prints usually start at roughly $40 (plus shipping) and I found it to be well worth the shipping costs, because of the quality.

The next deal was a free photo book!! Go to picaboo.com, download the software (free), and plug away at your book. The code is AFFLGB. I completed mine, all is left is editing, and then I will send off for it. I had just recently completed my annual books at shutterfly.com (love that site, constant sales!) and highly recommend scrapbooking this way. I almost have my sister convinced....no prints, no bulky books, sheet protectors, scissors, the list goes on. My house stays clutter free and I stay up to date far better than I ever did with traditional scrapbooking.

Final product, free photo calendar (shipping was 4.95). I have admired Sarah and RayLynn's for a few years and just never got around to it. Well, vistaprint.com is giving them away...who can deny that offer? The reason I like these calendars, personalized photos of course! Also, you can enter all the information for the year: birthdays, anniversaries, vacations, etc. and your calendar stays neat and tidy (not to mention they store that information for easy printing in the years to come); when you do have to add stuff, the little tiny squares aren't already full from my large writing. Bonus!

Okay, this beaded watch wasn't free...but it was considerably cheaper than buying at a craft show or online. I have been admiring Vicki's for so long that I dropped everything Friday when I received the call to head over and make one. I returned with Becky later to make another.
So, what are you waiting for, go get in on these deals!

Tales of a Triathlon

2010-03-06T14:37:00.000-08:00

Okay folks, prepare yourself for an earful.

This morning was the triathlon I have been "training" for, to train for my June's triathlon. My children woke me up at 6 AM (it's Saturday, why does that happen??). Needless to say, I had plenty of time to get everyone ready, out to the ranch, and back to the pool with PLENTY of time to spare. Tip #1, down time is NOT good time. I hated waiting around. I just wanted to get in the pool and get started. After the long wait I hopped in the pool and started kicking. Instantly I felt tired. I don't know if I was having a total mind war with myself, but something was off. It didn't feel like I was swimming how I had been the past weeks. Then someone else hopped into the same lane as me and I found my rhythm. Maybe it was being in a lane all alone that had me off. Things were going good.....until the gal in my lane crashed into me. Several correction kicks later I was back in the groove. I slowed to check my laps, and my timer informed me I still had four laps to go. WHAT??? I plowed through, jumped out of the pool and received my time. 14:20. Holy moly, that may not be fast to you, but it was a personal best for me. I was shocked, my swim hadn't started off well, but I managed to nail it. I was stocked. I was thrilled. I was convinced I could do this!

Then more down time. The negative to this triathlon was a pool swim, which means we have to wait until all swimmers are finished before proceeding to the bike and run. Did I mention that down time is NOT good. I changed, pulled my hair pack, strapped on the IPod, and stepped outside. I walked around checking out all the bikes... MISTAKE!!! Mine was the only mountain bike parked on the barricades. I am not kidding you, the ONLY mountain bike. My eyes brimmed with tears, I fought against them. The high I received from my successful swim was killed as I looked at all those skinny tires, odometers strapped to handlebars, and people exiting the pool with special clipping shoes. I was doomed. Ruth Garvin (God bless her) came up next to me and gave me a good pep talk. Real juicy stuff, like personal times, race against yourself, etc. It didn't fire me up like my swim time, but it prevented me from running to my car.

So the time came and I finally set off on my bulky, slow bike. I had a few people in front of me, but plenty behind me so I was feeling okay. I went a good 2 miles and then.....then those skinny, lightweight, fast bikes started zooming past me. I hit the halfway mark thinking I was dead last and I'm sad to admit I had slowed down a bit. And then, the sweetest sight appeared at the next turn. Not one, but two bikers were behind me. Oh I could have cried with joy, so I kicked up my speed a bit. Another turn and...one of those bikers past me. Dang it already. I finished the bike leg second to last. The lead I gained from my good swim time had been completely obliterated during biking.

I dropped my bike, ripped off my helmet, and ran. I knew I had one person behind me so I had to keep going strong. But oh my I was getting tired. I hadn't been running long, and I slowed. I couldn't get my body to go any faster. The biking kept replaying in my mind. The run was uneventful, I stayed 2nd to last until the last mile I think, and that's when I lost it. I tried to catch up to her, but I couldn't close the gap. I came in a few minutes behind her, last. 1:20:56.

So yes, I was disappointed. I had started the triathlon strong, so happy with my swim time, to get killed on biking. Funny thing is, I knew I would be slow, had even prepared myself to be among the slow bikers; what I hadn't anticipated was the emotions I felt when I was past by all those bikers. One, two, six, I can handle that. I didn't like getting past by all but one. BUT, the good news is I know how to fix that. Despite what I have typed here, I actually really enjoyed it. My times were good times for me. I was happy I finished, even though there were a few moments that I didn't want to. So, to prepare for my triathlon in June, I am now in the market for one of those skinny, lightweight, fast bikes that I loathed today. Anyone know where I can get my hands on one for dirt cheap?

Take a picture, it'll last longer!

2010-03-04T08:58:00.000-08:00

I took that advice and ran with it. I biked to the pool Monday morning for lap swimming in perfect weather; we enjoyed a picnic in our backyard and about 2 hours of swing set time, however I knew the weather wasn't going to last, so I will be reviewing this video again & again until Spring is officially here. Oh sunshine, I miss thee already!!

I thought I better show you a completed version of my March decor, love it! I am done with 2 inch fabric squares for awhile though.

This is it.....REALLY!!!

2010-02-25T14:35:00.000-08:00

My LAST class officially starts Monday, however I checked in today and this is the first thing I read. I got chills. I got a little nauseous. I got REALLY excited. The nauseousness is lingering....

I enlarged what my Professor wrote. It made be really happy.

Tough love!

2010-02-22T09:37:00.000-08:00

Two weekends ago we stopped in on some dear friends in UT. Allie hadn't seen them in a few months, but she more than made up for lost time!!